10 Chinese New Year events you can’t miss
Looking to celebrate Chinese New Year this weekend? The celebrations for the Year of the Rooster are about to kick off. Here is what you can get up to across Liverpool and Manchester…
Liverpool
Jingwei & the Ocean Projections
Chinatown
Friday January 27 – 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Saturday January 28 – 7:30pm – 8.30pm
Sunday January 29 – 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Head along to the light and sound show taking place in Chinatown in Liverpool. The bespoke show will take place on the iconic Chinese Arch, Black-E and The Arch and the projections will be based on the story of the emperor’s daughter who after perishing at sea, transforms into a bird. The story is being adapted to show how Chinatowns in Liverpool and around the world have been developed into the vibrant and diverse communities we see today.
Chinese New Year Storytelling
Central Library
Saturday January 28 – 12pm – 4pm
Join Jennifer Tsai and Dave Ward from The Windows Project for retellings of favourite traditional Chinese stories at Liverpool’s Central Library.
Constellations Does Chinese New Year
Constellations
Sunday January 29 – 11am-8pm
The venue in the Baltic Triangle will be putting on a day dedicated to all things Chinese culture. There will be free spring roll cookery workshops for children running throughout the day and from 4pm, there will be free family dance workshops taking place with Movema. The day will end with a very special performance.
Explore at Bluecoat
Bluecoat
Saturday January 28 – 1pm – 4pm
Head along to Bluecoat in Liverpool for a day of artist led workshops which are perfect for the whole family to join in with. The family will be able to make their very own Chinese New Year inspired dragon and take it home to enjoy the celebrations at home.
Chinese New Year Street Theatre
Great George Square
Sunday January 29 – 11am – 6pm
This year, Great George Square in Liverpool’s Chinatown will feature a family zone, with art workshops, street theatre, art installations and a Black-e Youth Circus Aerial performance. The day will include Pagoda Arts performing various traditional Chinese New Year acts, a traditional Chinese dance and cultural costume show, a firecracker display and martial arts demonstrations.
Manchester
Lion Dancing
Market Street
Friday January 27 – Saturday January 28 – 1pm, 2pm and 3pm
Make sure you don’t miss one of the hourly dances that the lion will be delivering on Market Street.
The Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors
Exchange Square, outside Corn Exchange
Thursday January 26 – Sunday January 29, 10am – 9pm
Walk amongst The Lanterns of the Terracotta Warriors, a collection of 40 lantern warriors inspired by the famous ‘terracotta army’ who were accidently uncovered in 1974 in the tomb of China’s First Emperor and widely regarded as the 8th Wonder of the Ancient World.
Chinese New Year Street Food Market
St Ann’s Square
Thursday January 26 – Sunday January 29, 11am-7pm
A marquee in St Ann’s Square will host some of the city’s best Chinese food and drinks including Yang Sang, Dim Sum Su, Rice Bowl, Mei Mei’s Street Cart and Tampopo who will be serving up a collection of traditional festive dumplings, steamed buns (Gau Bau), Chinese street food dish (Jianbing) and dim sum favourites.
The Central Library
St Peter’s Square
Sunday January 29, 12-4pm
Celebrate the Year of the Rooster at Central Library with musical performances, craft sessions, storytelling and archive exhibitions for all the family. Highlights include Chinese musicians performing on the erhu and the lute, a Chinese tea ceremony, lantern and kite-making craft sessions and face painting.
The Dragon Parade, Chinatown Celebrations and Fireworks
Albert Square & Chinatown
Sunday 29 January, 12 – 6pm
Following The Dragon Parade led by 175-foot dragon from Manchester Town Hall, head to Albert Square and Chinatown, where you’ll find traditional lion dances, street food, two stages of Chinese dancing, music and acrobatics, Chinese arts and crafts, a funfair and fantastic fireworks finale.
